OTD in 1967 Muhammad Ali vs. Zora Folley – The Fight Before the Storm

On March 22, 1967, Muhammad Ali defeated Zora Folley and retained his WBA, WBC, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight titles. The fight was at Madison Square Garden in New York City and saw Ali move to 29-0 with a seventh-round KO victory against an in-form opponent.

Muhammad Ali vs. Zora Folley Revisiting the Fight Before the Storm

Muhammad Ali vs. Zora Folley Recap – The Fight

Ali vs. Folley drew a crowd of just under fourteen thousand to MSG to see the Kentucky native defend his world titles. Folley came into the bout as a massive underdog, but the swagger and boxing skills on offer ensured a sizeable crowd was in attendance. The champion showcased his dazzling footwork and fast hands as he dictated the pace of the fight, despite the best efforts from the challenger, who had small pockets of success with his accurate jabs and the occasional right hook, which bounced off Ali.

The champion had a brilliant jab, which carried power, and he started to find his opponent with regularity in round three. Ali landed a beautifully timed right cross, which knocked down Folley, who beat the count and continued to try his best to get a foothold in the fight, but Ali was just too good. Foley had moments, but they were nothing more than fleeting, including a clean right hand in round six and another well-timed right in round seven, forcing Ali to back up momentarily. The speed of “The Greatest” bamboozled his opponent, who seemed never to be sure where the punches were coming from.

Round seven saw Ali land the counter right once again, but this one landed on Folley’s temple, clearly stunning him. the razor-sharp follow-up right hand sent Folley sprawling to the canvas, and that was all she wrote, as the challenger was unable to beat the count.

The Storm

On April 28, 1967, Ali refused to be inducted into the U.S. air forces, saying: “I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong.” This refusal led to Ali not stepping foot in a ring until October 1970 due to a three-year ban and a $10,000 fine, robbing the world of a peak Muhammad Ali. The initial five-year prison sentence – was overturned on appeal.

A misguided war robbed us of the evolution of a phenomenal boxer. Ali was on a different level from anyone, with his unique blend of power, speed and gracious poise that made him “The Greatest.”